#203 SONY OPEN Jan 9-12, 2025

#203 SONY OPEN Jan 9-12, 2025

Waianae CC Honolulu Par 70

Purse $8.7M+ $400K  

FAVORITES

1 H Matsuyama 9/1 Very difficult to repeat, but with this field and the way he played last week?

2 Corey Conners 14/1 Had a good tournament last week finished 5th. 

3 Tom Kim 20/1 Did not live up to expectations last year maybe it motivates him to win.

4 Russell Henley 20/1 Has 4 PGA wins one being the Sony in 2013

5 Ben An 22/1 Always seems to be in the mix but no PGA wins yet, and I doubt this is his 1st.

6 Robert MacIntyre 28/1 one of the sleepers who could win.

One of these 6 should win.

MY WINNER  Like the Fall events this is a sub par field and it is impossible to pick a winner other than the top 3 above.  I will go with Cory Connors or Tom Kim.  It will be tough for Hidedi to go back to back.  I only see 2 long-shots with a chance, but there are a few (listed below) who could win.

LONG-SHOTS

Luke Clanton  40/1Still an amateur, but has made a good showing in 2024 and could win.

Tom Hoge 60/1 Led after RD 1 last week and finished 8th, has as good a chance as anyone. 

OUTSIDE CHANCE Austin Eckroat 45/1, Eric Cole 80/1, Stephen Jaeger 80/1.  

SPECIAL INFORMATION

As stated above this field looks more like a Fall event than a regular season PGA event.  

Like the Fall, very difficult to pick a winner. 

Scottie Scheffler announced that due to his hand injury he will not return for the American Express and hopes to return for Pebble Beach Jan 27- Feb  2.  I think the injury is more serious and don’t see him back until he defends the Arnold Palmer at the beginning of March.

Pictured below is the Par 3 7th hole which is changed to 16th for the tournament.  In 2009 Ethan Abbot, a member, suggested forming a W with Palm trees behind the green and was inspired  by the W Palm tree scene in the 1963 film “Its a mad mad world”.  It has become a popular place on the course where people pose for pictures and plan weddings.